Free University Education
Nov 10, 2008
Is technology making higher education free for all?
New technology allows for online access to material that might otherwise be inaccessible. University tuition is continually increasing and with the current global economy, the price of higher education can be a daunting and financially improbable goal.
Video lectures abound on You Tube teaching everything from ballroom dance to trigonometry.
This article looks at some of the better sites that boast online video lectures. Check out the comments for more links.
There are hundreds of classic books—a necessity to any English degree—available online. The greatest collection of online classics is probably The Gutenberg Project.
But best of all, Universities offer open courses complete with a syllabus and a final exam to students of all ages… FOR FREE!
No registration, or tuition required! That removes one of the biggest barriers to education—the cost. However, there is a catch. There always is. There is no course credit given, so these courses do not contribute towards a diploma.
The benefit is solely personal education and development. This raises question regarding the necessity of diplomas. If you know the material, do you still need a diploma?
What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Comments(3)
Find this article online at: www.oxfordlearning.com/letstalk/2008/nov/10/free-university-education/
Brian Taylor - Nov 11, 2008
I've been searching around and I've come to the conclusion that I need to learn German.
Liz MacIntosh - Nov 12, 2008
I just signed up for something, but now I see there is no credit. Tant pis. Ill still enjoy learning.
Jessica Mavin - Dec 11, 2008
Although learning for the sake of learning is great, unfortunately our society requires a piece of paper to prove that people have the skills and knowledge to do the job. There are a lot of people out there that could do the job well and have the skills and knowledge they need, but may get left out because they don't have the appropriate diploma or degree. Likewise, there are those who have all the acreditation in the world, but don't have the personality or motivation to be able to do the job they are trained for.
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